The Natural in the Supernatural

Intro

tonight looks a lil different

We are three days from Ascend

three days

We believe

in this church believes that Ascend is such a big deal

leadership in this church believes that Ascend is such a big deal

that Ascend though its for a week it will have generational and lifetime ramifications

that there will be miraculous healings taking place

those who were spiritually dead will be brought to life

and the kingdom of God will be advanced

and thats not just for those who go on Ascend

I believe that while we’re worshipping in Colorado there will be healings in Boerne

that there will be a proclamation of the gospel like never before

and that revival will break out in places where there was seemingly no hope

tonight is preparation for it

As I’ve been preparing for Ascend really seriously for months

there’s been a passage of scripture that the Lord has really been highlighting for me

The New International Version Chapter 10

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. 8 The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”

9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,

and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”

13 So the sun stood still,

and the moon stopped,

till the nation avenged itself on its enemies,

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!

and throughout the night we’re going to be looking at the scripture and using it to help us prepare for Ascend

I love that the Lord highlighted Joshua

Joshua

Joshua is cool

A man who grew up under the leadership of Moses

you remember Moses

who led the children of Israel from exile towards the promise land

but Moses disobeyed and this generation constantly disobeying and whining

and because of this the Lord forbid them to enter into the land that was promised for Israel

but serving under Moses was man named Joshua

and when the time came for Moses to pass away

Joshua was called to lead the next generation into the promised land

and I love this because what you guys maybe dont know is that on Ascend the theme for this year has been stake your claim

its this idea of manifest destiny

of going out and claiming new territory

literally taking it and owning it

Joshua was doing that for Israel

I wonder if there’s anyone in this room

who’s willing to be a Joshua for this generation

someone who’s willing to go out into the unknown

who’s willing to stand firm in truth in what’s right

in faith and in God

to lead this generation into the land the Lord has for them

to lead your school into revival

to lead your family towards Jesus

to lead those around you in holiness

and lead by example

but in order to do so you need to know your identity

Joshua knew who the Lord was

and he knew who he was

maybe for you before we go to camp you need to repent from your sin and rest in Christ

sometimes we can get in the way of the miracles the Lord wants to work in our lives because we won’t rest in him

maybe for you

so as we take this time to prepare I want to challenge you. Bring whatever it is that you’ve found identity in and in your own way offer that up to God

maybe its your reputation

what’s something

offer that to him

maybe its insecurity

offer it up

maybe its material things

offer it to him

and find rest in him

YOUR LOVE IS STRONG

The New International Version Chapter 10

9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

I love how this goes

it says in verse 10

this wasn’t easy

that the Israelites defeated the enemy

but then it states how it happened

but I love what

normally we tell a story with the end last

but the Lord gives us this story with the end first

I need you to know that if you’re a Christian

if you’ve put your faith in Jesus

almost

you know the end of your story

the end of the story is Jesus

the beginning of the story is Jesus

then the middle part is our walk with Jesus

and he doesn’t tell us all the details of that

he won’t tell us everything we might want to know

he tells us the ending

but what we don’t know is that middle bit to get us there

but what we don’t know is that middle bit to get us there

the Lord does

and there’s a reason as to why he doesn’t give us all the details

it’s so that we trust him

The reason why he tells us the end and not the middle is so that we could have a faith and a perspective that sees everything pointing towards that victory

its so that when everything seems to be going wrong in our lives we would have faith to know that he’s still in control and he’s still good

so tonight it’s fitting that before we go into this next week that we go back and we refocus our mindset on who’s most important

and that’s Jesus

we remember the price he paid for us to have relationship with him

the life he laid down

the death he suffered

and we’re going to do so with communion

this is actually the precedent Jesus set

DO IT AGAIN

The New International Version Chapter 10

Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,

and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”

13 So the sun stood still,

and the moon stopped,

till the nation avenged itself on its enemies,

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!

You know I’m learning the difference between fear and faith

I think they are a lot closer related then we think

fear and faith

often the driving force behind why we make the majority of our decisions

as Christians faith should be the driving force for our decisions

but if we’re not careful we can confuse the two

you see the difference between fear and faith is who we’re putting our trust in

fear is when we put all of our trust in our own hands

its when we try to direct our lives and our steps

it’s when we try look right and do all the right things because of what other people will think

faith is when put all of our trust in God’s hands

it’s when release our lives to Him

Joshua was leading Israel in pursuing the enemy

the Lord is fighting for them throwing huge hail stones down killing their enemies

and when the sun was going down on the day

Joshua did something that required huge faith

he did something that required such large faith

he prayed that the Sun would stop in it’s tracks

he prayed for the celestial objects to halt

and here’s what happened

they did stop

they stopped in their tracks

You know I’m learning the difference between fear and faith

I think they are a lot closer related then we think

fear and faith

often the driving force behind why we make the majority of our decisions

as Christians faith should be the driving force for our decisions

but if we’re not careful we can confuse the two

you see the difference between fear and faith is who we’re putting our trust in

fear is when we put all of our trust in our own hands

its when we try to direct our lives and our steps

it’s when we try look right and do all the right things because of what other people will think

faith is when put all of our trust in God’s hands

it’s when release our lives to Him

I dont know if this is you

but I’ve been praying big prayers

I’ve been praying some sun stand still type of prayers

some revolutionary type of prayers

i’ve got some areas where I need the Lord to show up

and so i’ve been praying big prayers

things that require big faith

and when we look at this text we see how we’re supposed to pray for these prayers but also how we’re to prepare

you see it says Joshua prayed but it doesn’t say he stopped fighting the battle

in fact he prayed this so that they could continue fighting and defeating the enemy

so as we pray these huge, celestial prayers for Ascend

we still have to continue pursuin, there’s still an action we must take

you’re praying for healing in your family

how are you moving to make that a reality

you’re praying for physical healing in your body?

do you actually believe with everything inside of you that it could happen

you’re praying for breakthrough in your life

are you studying are you worshipping are you listening

and it would foolish for us to ask these gigantic things from the Lord

but not be preparing for him to provide them

it would be silly for us to lob a prayer with faith and not be ready for when he answers it

so as a way of helping us

I want you prepare

prepare for Him to answer your needs

prepare for him to heal your body